Internet use: Disruptive or enhancing towards learning? Views and perceptions of undergraduate medical students

Objective: To describe the perceptions and behaviors of undergraduate medical students regarding the use of internet

Study design: Cross-sectional descriptive study

Place and Duration of Study: Army Medical College, National University of Medical Sciences [NUMS] Rawalpindi, from January 2014 to June 2014

Methodology: Data had been obtained from volunteer undergraduate medical students who were computer literate and were using the internet facility in their daily routine. Students, who did not have the computer and internet using skills and were not using the internet services, were excluded from this study. A structured questionnaire was used which included following items: duration and frequency of internet use, impact of internet use on academic grades, influence of internet usage on relationships with friends and family, effect of overuse on sleep cycle and having the self-knowledge of being internet addicted

Results: Two hundred and twelve students gave consent to participate in this study. Different perceptions of undergraduate medical students regarding the internet use were observed: 64 [30.2%] students spent about two hours daily in internet surfing and 79 [37.3%] participants in our study utilized internet facility for social networking while 67 [31.6%] used it for educational and learning purposes. A total of 147 [69.3%] participants reported that internet use enhanced their learning and had a positive effect on their academic grades

Conclusion: Our study concludes that internet-using skill is a very powerful tool in today's world with regards to academic learning. With appropriate guidance and support, students can get maximum benefit from this facility and can enhance their learning capabilities. Institutes should play their role by making every student computer literate and also by making on-campus advisory services available to figure out internet abuse related issues of the students

Validity of C-reactive protein (CRP) for diagnosis of neonatal sepsis

Objective: To determine the validity of C-reactive protein levels for diagnosis of neonatal sepsis. Methods: A cross sectional [Validation] study was conducted at Neonatology unit in KRL general hospital [emergency/OPD] of 7 months duration from February 2012 to August 2012. By using purposive sampling technique, 147, sample size was calculated by using WHO sample size calculator taking sensitivity 75%, specificity 95%, expected prevalence 50%, desired precision 10% and confidence level 95%. Results: Mean age of the neonates was 5.72 days + 3.86. Male patients were 81[55.1%] while 66[44.9%] were female. Neonatal sepsis was observed in 43[29.25%] and were confirmed through blood culture while 104[70.75%] were not confirmed on blood culture as neonatal sepsis. The sensitivity and specificity of CRP in diagnosis of acute neonatal sepsis was 76.92% and 53.49% respectively while it had a positive predictive value of 80% and negative predictive value of 48.94%. Over all the diagnostic accuracy of CRP in diagnosis of neonatal sepsis was 70.07%. Conclusion: CRP estimation does have a role in the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis but the test is not specific enough to be relied upon as the only indicator

Premenstrual syndrome: messes with my academic performance

This study aims to determine the ediucational impact of premenstrual syndrome [PMS] on various academic activities of undergraduate female medical students. Cross sectional study. Army Medical College, National University of Sciences and Technology [NUST], Islamabad, Pakistan from June 2013 to November 2013. This cross sectional study was conducted at Army Medical College, National University of Sciences and Technology [NUST] Islamabad. Data were collected from 224 undergraduate female medical students of all professional years. PMS was diagnosed according to WHO's ICD-10 criteria. Impact of premenstrual syndrome on academic activities of female medical students was assessed using a 22-itemed, structured questionnaire. Two hundred and twenty four female undergraduate medical students gave their written consent to participate in this study. PMS was present among 207 [92.4%] female students. Major PMS symptoms experienced by the female students were: backache [87.5%], fatigue [80.2%], depressed mood [78.2%], anxiety [76.8%], hypersomnia [71%] and poor emotional control [64.3%]. The frequency of various PMS symptoms interfered with their academic activities [76.3%], with large group discussion sessions [79.2%], with small group discussion sessions [72.9%], written assessment [66.6%] and oral assessment [70.0%].The study findings affirm the fact that premenstrual syndrome profoundly affects the academic activities of young female medical students. In the light of these pertinent findings we recommend that health education and counselling services are essential to be provided at medical college campuses for female undergraduates. This will not only help them alleviate the negative effects of PMS but also develop an understanding about their problems, enhancing their academic output and performance in early medical carrier

What went wrong: why did I fail?

To document the perceptions and views of undergraduate medical students on why did they fail in their annual examinations. Cross-sectional descriptive study. Army Medical College, National University of Sciences and Technology [NUST] Islamabad, Pakistan from March 2013 to March 2014. Data had been obtained from undergraduate students who failed at least once during their MBBS course and volunteered to participate in this study. Students who did not come across any academic failure during their MBBS course were excluded. A structured questionnaire was used which included following items: knowledge overload of failed or other subjects, poor time management for their studies, their own ineffective communication and expression skills [oral/ written], poor teaching skills of teachers/facilitators and boarding problems. One hundred and seventy nine students gave consent to participate in this study. Factors leading to their failure and identified by students were: poor time management with regards to their studies: 81.6%, lack of revision time due to co-curricular activities: 73.7%, poor output in written assignments/assessments: 62.6%, knowledge overload of the failed-in subject: 47.5%, poor motivation to make serious efforts to understand and learn the subject: 57%. The reflections of medical students signify a variety of causes. It would be pertinent to organize strategies to rectify and address the basis of these expressed specific causes, especially those that had the highest impact towards the failure of these students. Such measures will help to rescue majority of these medical students and prevent them from failing in their examinations. Remedial steps when in place, shall also equip them with required skills to work on their weaknesses and turn them into strengths for their academic successes

Type A and Type B personality among undergraduate medical students: need for psychosocial rehabilitation

To find out the frequency of Type A and Type B personality among the students of Undergraduate Medical College. To find association between student year and personality type. A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted at Undergraduate Medical College, Rawalpindi from Sept. 2012 till Feb. 2013. Among 500 sample size, 100 students from each MBBS year were inducted by probability systematic sampling technique. After taking consent from the institute and students, data was collected on BECK anxiety inventory [BAI] questionnaire. According to BAI scale, students were identified as Type A or B personality. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 20. To find association between student year and personality type, Chi-square test of significance with 95% confidence level was used. First, second, third, fourth and final year students had 5 [1%], 6 [1.2%], 11 [2.2%], 13 [2.6%] and 19 [3.8%] type A personality respectively. Among all the study participants [n=500], total number of type A was 54 [10.8%] and type B personality students were 446 [89.2%]. Type A personality was 29 [11.6%] in female students [n=250] and 25 [10%] in male students [n=250]. Association between student year and personality type was significant [p=0.010] at 95% confidence level. Type A personality students existed in every class and there was a gradual increase in the number of type A personality students from 1[st] year to final year in an undergraduate medical college of Rawalpindi. Significant association was observed in student year and type A personality

Frequency of hepatitis B virus infection among children with chronic liver disease

To determine the frequency of Hepatitis B Virus infection and clinical profile among children with chronic liver disease. Descriptive, Cross sectional Study. The study was conducted in the Department of Pediatric Medicine Allied Hospital Faisalabad from 1[st] June 2007 to 31[st] May 2009. The data of all patients admitted with chronic liver disease during the study period was recorded for age, sex, gender, risk factors, and socioeconomic factors, duration of disease, clinical signs and relevant investigations. A total of hundred patients with chronic liver disease were studied. Among them 54% were male and 46% were female. 15% of patients had positive history of blood transfusion. Hepatitis B seropositivity was found to be 30% in children with chronic liver disease tested by HBsAg in serum. Chronic HBV infection is serious viral disease that can lead to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatitis B Vaccine should be given to all neonates regardless of maternal HBsAg status to prevent the disease

assessment of risk factors for postoperative nausea and vomiting

To determine the risk factors for postoperative nausea and vomiting. Quasi-experimental study with prospective data collection. The study was conducted at Dow Medical College University and Civil Hospital, Karachi from January to December 2004. Data on patients' characteristic, anesthesia, surgery and postoperative nausea and vomiting was collected in operating theatre, postanesthesia care unit and wards. During postoperative 24 hours period, 60 out of a total of 200 patients experienced nausea and vomiting. The factors associated with an increased risk of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting [PONV] were gender [female odds ratio 3], patients with previous history of nausea and vomiting or motion sickness [odds ratio 4], laparoscopic cholecystectomy [odds ratio 3.5] and eye surgery [odds ratio 3.9], all of these were statistically significant [p < 0.05]. No statistically significant difference was found between the other parameters. The incidence of PONV was found significantly higher in female gender, patients with previous history of nausea and vomiting or motion sickness, patient undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy and eye surgery

Frequently associated problems of cerebral palsy

To identify the frequently associated problems of cerebral palsy in our setup. Descriptive case series. Department of Pediatrics, Allied Hospital Faisalabad during the period of 2005-2006, Two hundred children from 1 to 12 years of age of either sex who were diagnosed as cerebral palsy on the basis of history and clinical examination were included and associated problems were identified. Out of 200 cases of CP, the most commonly identified problem was nutritional disorder and growth failure followed by mental retardation, constipation, seizures, contractures, aspiration pneumonia, urinary tract infection, oromotor dysfunctions, visual abnormalities, dental anomalies, hearing abnormalities, scoliosis and behaviour disturbances in that order

Nutritional status and micronutrient levels of children with celiac disease before and after gluten free diet

Celiac disease is an autoimmune inflammatory disorder of small intestine precipitated by ingestion of gluten. Clinical and histological improvement occurs on withdrawal of gluten from the diet. The present study were to identify the trace mineral deficiency in diagnosed celiac children and to assess how far these deficiencies are corrected after strict gluten free diet. The study also assessed the nutritional status of celiac children compared to the healthy controls before and after Gluten Free Diet. Department of Pediatrics Punjab Medical College Faisalabad. January 2004 to March 2005. Interventional case control study. 22 children aged 2 to 14 years diagnosed as Celiac disease on the basis of typical intestinal biopsy findings were included. 15 healthy children served as controls. Anthropometric measurements and serum Zinc Copper Magnesium and Iron along with albumin were done for both patients and controls initially and repeated after 6 months while patients were receiving strict GFD and controls receiving normal diet. The general linear model was used for the analysis of variance using SPSS [2004]. Serum Zinc was below the reference range in 68%. Serum copper and Magnesium in 31%, Iron in 95%and albumin in 59% of the patients. There was a statistically significant increase in serum zinc, iron and magnesium levels [p value, < 0 05] while serum copper and albumin did not show any significant rise after Gluten free diet. Control group did not show any significant change in their trace mineral levels .Celiac patients gained more weight [mean 4.47 versus 2.91 cm] and height [3.34cm versus 1 .022 cm] as compared to the control group. Celiac children receiving strict Gluten free diet and showing good clinical response probably do not need mineral supplementation